This school was located in the vicinity of the present Underwood fire hall, on the corner of Cook Underwood Road and School House Road.  The bell has not yet been placed on the building when this photo was taken.

Brief History of the Underwood School Buildings
By Mary Kapp and Kathy LaMotte

The first known school building in Underwood is thought to be provided by Amos Underwood before 1900.  It was at the lower part of the mountain, along the river.

Another school building is mentioned, being a one room log building on the corner of Larsen Road and Cook Underwood Road. A 1901 news article mentions that a church meeting was held in the school house.

Then in 1905, land was purchased from E.C. Goddard and a larger frame school was built and a school bell placed on top.  Mr. Goddard returned the money for the land to be used to enlarge the school library.

Last Underwood School built in 1917 and remodeled into a two story building in 1922.  The gym at the side was built in 1931 and is used presently as the Underwood Community Center. Photo courtesy of the Lester Davis collection in the Gorge Interpretive Center Museum, Stevenson, Washington. Lester started school in Underwood in the third grade and graduated from the eighth grade.

In 1916 the school board purchased five acres of land for school grounds and by November of 1917, a fine new building was occupied.  It was located next to the present Underwood Community Center building, which used to be the school gym, built in 1931.  The 1917 school was a Mission style frame building measuring 47’ by 68’ with a concrete foundation. There were three classrooms accommodating students to the eighth grade and sanitary plumbing was installed.

The building proved to be too small and in 1922, the whole structure was raised up and a full story added underneath.  By c. 1946, the building proved too costly for Skamania County and the school closed.  The students were bused to White Salmon or Stevenson.  The White Salmon School District acquired the buildings and grounds and leased it to Skamania County for a Community Center.  The school building, not being occupied, was torn down in the 1960s.